Israeli strikes in Gaza have killed 11 Palestinians, including three journalists and two children, deepening concerns over ceasefire violations and civilian safety under the fragile truce.
TheInterviewTimes.com, New Delhi | January 21, 2026 09:55 p.m. IST
Israeli Strikes Kill 11 Palestinians in Gaza, Including 3 Journalists, Amid Fragile Ceasefire
Israeli forces killed at least 11 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, including three journalists and two children, in one of the deadliest days of violence since a fragile ceasefire entered its second phase last year. The incidents have intensified scrutiny of Israel’s conduct under the U.S.-brokered truce and raised renewed alarm over the safety of media workers and civilians in designated humanitarian zones.
🚨BREAKING: In a blatant violation of the ceasefire and international law, Israeli aircraft targeted a vehicle marked with the emblem of the Egyptian Committee today, killing journalists Mohammed Qeshta, Abdel Raouf Shaat, and Anas Ghanem instantly in Gaza.
— Gaza Notifications (@gazanotice) January 21, 2026
The Egyptian… pic.twitter.com/DxGKrWJvco
Journalists Hit While Covering Aid Camp
Gaza officials said three Palestinian journalists were killed when an Israeli strike hit a vehicle belonging to the Egyptian Committee for Gaza Relief near the Al Zahra area in central Gaza. The victims were identified in local reports as Mohammed Salah Qashta, Abdul Raouf Shaat and Anas Ghneim, who were documenting tent camps established by Egypt for displaced families when the vehicle was struck several kilometers from Israeli positions.
According to Arabic-language media, the journalists had been filming an encampment built by the Egyptian relief committee when the blast occurred, destroying the marked vehicle and killing all three on board. An Egyptian security source confirmed that the targeted car belonged to the humanitarian committee, describing the attack as a troubling escalation against relief operations inside the declared ceasefire zone.
IDF Cites Hamas Drone Threat
The Israel Defence Forces said the strike targeted suspects allegedly operating a drone “affiliated with the Hamas terror group” that posed a threat to Israeli troops stationed in the area. Military officials said the attack was approved through the required chain of command and insisted it complied with their rules of engagement, while acknowledging that a detailed review of the incident was still underway.​
The IDF did not publicly present evidence linking the drone or those killed to Hamas and did not clarify whether the episode amounted to a ceasefire breach under the terms of the current truce. Palestinian officials and press freedom advocates have demanded an independent investigation, arguing that journalists and aid-linked vehicles should be protected from targeting in line with international humanitarian law.
Children and Civilians Among the Dead
Health workers in central and southern Gaza reported multiple separate attacks during the same 24‑hour period, resulting in additional civilian deaths. Local hospitals said Israeli tank fire east of Deir al Balah killed three people, including a 10‑year‑old boy, after shells landed near residential and agricultural areas close to the buffer zone.​
In the southern town of Bani Suhaila, medics reported that a 13‑year‑old boy was shot dead by Israeli troops while collecting firewood, with video later circulating that showed his father mourning over the child’s body in a hospital ward. Palestinian medical teams also said a woman was shot and killed in the Muwasi coastal area near Khan Younis, a zone previously designated a civilian “humanitarian area” that is not under direct Israeli ground control.
Ceasefire Violations and Mounting Toll
Gaza’s authorities say the latest attacks form part of a broader pattern of incidents they describe as ceasefire violations since the truce took effect on 10 October 2025. Local officials have documented hundreds of alleged breaches involving airstrikes, shelling, ground incursions and live fire against civilians, with reported casualties now in the hundreds despite the formal halt in large‑scale hostilities.
UNICEF and aid groups warn that children remain disproportionately affected, noting that more than 100 minors have been killed in post‑ceasefire incidents alone as Gaza’s population continues to live in tents, damaged homes and overcrowded shelters. Overall, more than 71,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 170,000 injured in Gaza since October 2023, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, figures that include both the initial phase of the war and the period under the current ceasefire.
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Truce Under Strain as Talks Stall
The violence comes as the ceasefire moves into a second phase that Washington has framed as a pathway toward demilitarization, technocratic administration in Gaza and a long‑term reconstruction framework. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff recently said the agreement was designed to “de‑escalate on the ground while building a political horizon,” but acknowledged that implementation remains fragile and politically contested on all sides.
Negotiations have reportedly stalled over several unresolved issues, including the return of the remains of the last Israeli hostage and disagreements over security control, border access and the role of Hamas in any future governance structure. As international mediators push to preserve the truce, the latest killings have fueled fears that recurring flare‑ups, civilian casualties and attacks on journalists could further erode public trust in the ceasefire and drag the region back toward wider confrontation.
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